Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Flexible and made to last.

Meet the Other Phone.
Flexible and made to last.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think that Game of Thrones (the TV version) is over-rated tosh?

110 replies

kalidasa · 23/04/2013 11:59

I concede that it is strangely compelling, but on the downside: horribly misogynistic, eye-wateringly racist (orientalism anyone?), woodenly acted (with a few honourable exceptions, and the children are good), the scripts are really terrible, every plot twist is heralded practically with trumpets, and the exposition is plodding.

I like the music and the map with cogs at the beginning though.

Am I missing something or are we just meant to classify it as enjoyable rubbish (like "Revenge") and get over it?

Cheerfully expecting to be destroyed on this one but would be nice to know I'm not completely alone.

OP posts:
SummerRainIsADistantMemory · 23/04/2013 13:57

I adore the books, had read them long before the show ever came along and was really excited when it was announced.

But it's shit Sad

Poor acting, bad scripts, too many vital details changed.

I'm really disappointed and gave up halfway through season 2

squoosh · 23/04/2013 14:01

I haven't read any of them, not my kind of thing reading wise, so have no idea how faithfully they stick to the books.

I understand though the disappointment of seeing a much loved book not live up to one's own expectations on screen.

freddiefrog · 23/04/2013 14:07

I love it

I didn't watch it when it first came out but got dragged into loads of friends banging on about it on Facebook, so downloaded the first 2 series from Sky On Demand.

We're just coming to the end of the second series so haven't watched any of the 3rd one yet, but I am glued to it

mrsdinklage · 23/04/2013 14:17

DragonDragonDragonDragonDragonDragonDragon
I luffs it Grin

Fillyjonk75 · 23/04/2013 14:28

The books are written in a very "male gaze" way too, but I can forgive GRRM for being male, I think. GRRM is also a producer on the series BTW. OK not all male authors write that way, but a lot do, just as a lot of female authors are very 'female gaze'. You write what you know.

I don't think you can compare it to The Sopranos or The Wire (which I haven't seen, not my sort of thing) as it's a totally different genre.

One criticism I have read of the series is there is too much focus on the 'whoring' aspects where that is only a small part of the books- so yes, I agree there is too much done for hetero male titillation. They have made Ros such a big character in the TV series - probably as the actress playing her is very good - but the character she represents in the book is quite interesting but not major.

But I still think it's a cracking series.

aldiwhore · 23/04/2013 14:30

I loved the books (impatiently waiting for the next) and I've only seen Season One but I liked it well enough, I think the imagery and casting is spot on...

carlajean · 23/04/2013 14:35

I was taken in by the huge amount of favorable publicity the Guardian gave it and ordered it on Love film. I couldn't finish it. first the misogyny put me off, the whole 'well it's paralleling a medieval society so misogyny is fine' is nonsense. if it's just a parallel (with lots of divergances from reality) why not create a parallel with equal women. it's just an excuse for showing female nudity/rape etc, while at the same time allowing the viewer to think they're not watching soft porn (because the media say it's culture)
also Tyrion's accent is all over the place. for such a good actor he's crap at the English accent. and please don't try and tell me he's not trying to do one. he reminds me of Dick Van Dyke doing cockney.
lastly , it's bloody boring
so there

ubik · 23/04/2013 14:36

It appears to have been written and directed by a hormonal 14 year old boy.

Some of the acting is truly horrendous.

Even DP who is a sucker for swords and sorcery hokum, couldn't bear it. I got fed up with the giggling prostitutes.

It is dreadful.

We are watching Freaks and Geeks which is great!

carlajean · 23/04/2013 14:36

I really wanted to like it, and was so disappointed that I couldn't

JazzDalek · 23/04/2013 14:39

We are watching Freaks and Geeks which is great!

I agree, it is brilliant but totally disagree with you about Game of Thrones Grin

neriberi · 23/04/2013 14:39

I love the books, I'm just waiting for the final books to be finished and published so that I can devour them.

I equally love the TV adaptation, so much so that I panicked and shouted at my DH when I realised he had deleted it off sky + then he pointed out that it was on catch-up anyway.

squoosh · 23/04/2013 14:43

Freaks and Geeks. So predictable! Anything Judd Apatow related bores me to tears.

HighJinx · 23/04/2013 14:43

I've read the books and enjoyed them. The series isn't as good but I wouldn't expect it to be nor would I expect it to be an exact representation of the books.

I have never seen a film or television adaptation of a book I've read that was anywhere near as good as the book itself.

However I am enjoying the TV series. If it's not your thing move on and watch or read something else.

FWIW I think it's better than most of the crap that's on the television. But there is variety on TV for a reason.

Original poster
kalidasa · 23/04/2013 14:44

Oh good some support! Agree about Tyrion's v. strange strangled accent. I don't understand why they didn't just allow them to use their own since apparently it's definitely not meant to be England. He is a good actor I agree (and of course a gift of a role). Littlefinger's usually dodgy-but-passable accent also went really weird in the episode we just watched, in which he sounded suddenly and unaccountably Welsh.

carlajean we were drawn in by the LRB which had a HUGE puff piece on it!! A shame as I thought the author had a good point about the routine dismissal of 'genre' fiction, but then totally undermined his/her (can't remember) point by recommending something so shoddy.

Will check out Freaks and Geeks ubik as you are clearly a woman after my own heart.

OP posts:
Original poster
kalidasa · 23/04/2013 14:46

We have also been trying to decide what Shae is meant to be. French? Spanish? Passionate-Latin-not-otherwise-specified?

OP posts:
HighJinx · 23/04/2013 14:48

We have also been trying to decide what Shae is meant to be. French? Spanish? Passionate-Latin-not-otherwise-specified?

Confused it's a fantasy world, there is no French or Spanish

squoosh · 23/04/2013 14:49

Shae used to be a porn star apparently, not sure that's reflected in her accent though.

Zara1984 · 23/04/2013 14:50

YANBU

I like the rude bits though Grin same reason I liked the Tudors.... Blush

carlajean · 23/04/2013 14:50

ubik is spot on, it DOES seem to have been written by a hormonal 14 year old boy

HighJinx · 23/04/2013 14:50

Shae used to be a porn star apparently, not sure that's reflected in her accent though. Grin

I'm pretty sure that in the books Shae refuses to divulge where she is from.

Original poster
kalidasa · 23/04/2013 14:56

OK, let me rephrase. What is her accent supposed to be? I don't think you can deny that they are trying to impose a blanket 'British' accent (with regional variations appropriate to north/south etc) on all the Westeros characters, so what effect are they aiming for with Shae? Perhaps just 'not-British-and-a-bit-Mediterranean'?

OP posts:
limitedperiodonly · 23/04/2013 14:57

ophelia273 Tyrion is mine, I tell you. I'm going to tuck him under my arm and ride away from you.

Original poster
kalidasa · 23/04/2013 14:58

Although how we are supposed to believe that Westeros is not Britain is not clear to me. They even have die-hard noble northern recusants!

OP posts:
Original poster
kalidasa · 23/04/2013 14:58

I'd be careful limitedperiod, his wife was on this thread a bit earlier . . .

OP posts:
squoosh · 23/04/2013 15:02

I initially confused Westeros with Wester Ross, thought they were off to Scotland.

Swipe left for the next trending thread